Students riot over university closure
Standard Team
University students went on the
rampage and destroyed property yesterday after the institution was closed following the
collapse of the salary talks. The students of Jomo
Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology set on fire furniture from the office of
the chancellor, Prof Ali Mazrui.
The riot was triggered off by a circular signed by the
vice-chancellor, Prof Nick Wanjohi, informing them that the university had been closed
indefinitely and they should vacate the campus by noon.
The decision to send the students home followed the
collapse on Sunday of talks between striking lecturers and the Inter-Public Universities
Councils Consultative Forum. |
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Students of the Jomo Kenyatta
University of Agriculture and Technology demonstrate over the closure of their campus. Pic
by Elvis Ogina |
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The collapse of the talks worsened the crisis following a
salaries strike by lecturers in November, which resulted in the closure of all public
universities.
Yesterday, Education minister George Saitoti appealed to
the lecturers union and the Forum to return to the negotiating table and "give
dialogue a second chance".
In a statement, Prof Saitoti said it was regrettable that
despite all efforts made by the council, the lecturers had refused to call off the strike.
"As Kenyans know, the current strike in public
universities hurts the interest of the nation and especially those of the families with
students whose learning has been disrupted."
The JKUAT students demanded to be paid Sh7,000 each
money they claim to have spent since Monday last week when they reported back after a
two-month hiatus following the closure of all public universities on November 10.
Anti-riot police officers watched as the students burnt Prof Mazruis office
furniture whose worth was estimated at Sh120,000.
The students pulled out a sofa-set, tables and chairs from
the administration block and set them on fire. Mazrui is the only chancellor who has
publicly told the Government to pay lecturers well to stem the brain drain.
The students said their colleagues in other universities
had been refunded their expenses.
At Kenyatta University, Universities Academic Staff Union
officials vowed to carry on with the strike now in the third month.
The chapter chairman, Mr Jackton Ogweno, claimed the
Gachukia-led Inter-University Council Consultative Forum was out to ruin Uasu and had no
genuine agenda to pursue.
"We thought the forum was meant to sort out other
pertinent issues afflicting the universities. We have since realised that its agenda was
to trick us to call off the strike and go back to lecture theatres empty-handed. That is
why we refused to sign a return-to-work formula on Sunday," said Ogweno.
Shadow Education minister, Prof Ruth Oniango,
criticised the vice-chancellors of Maseno, JKUAT and Egerton for re-opening the
institutions before a solution to the lecturers strike was found.
"The VCs should take full responsibility for the
situation. Why did they decide to use students as baits to end the lecturers
strike" posed Oniango in a telephone interview.
The Kanu Nominated MP and former JKUAT lecturer appealed to
the Government to meet the lecturers salary demands.
She warned that should the Government make a mistake of
unilaterally sacking lecturers like the Kanu regime did in 1994 higher
education would irreparably suffer.
At Egerton University students deserted campus and went
home after the salary talks flopped.
The over 3,500 students who have been at the Njoro Campus
since Monday last week but have never been taught packed their belongings and streamed out
of campus from 8 am.
The students had been given Sh500 each by the
administration as fare reimbursement and their meals were also being subsidised for the
week they stayed there.
Yesterday morning, the students left without any
communication from the administration and their union leaders were left behind to consult.
The Students Union of Egerton University acting chairman,
Asher Otiende, said they were disappointed by the collapse of the talks.
At Maseno University, where partial learning was going on,
the senate yesterday held a crisis meeting. |